Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne setup Apple in 1976 in the garage of Job’s father, to sell their hand-built computer Apple I. They had offered their product to HP first but were declined by them. No doubt an opportunity missed by HP!

In 1977, the Apple II was launched which took Apple to new heights mainly because it had coloured graphics (up until then computers were only black and white – hands up who can remember those days?) Simple and easy to use design, has always been the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) for Apple, and their logo is no exception.

When Apple was started, the logo (designed by Jobs and Wayne) was a complicated picture of Isaac Newton sitting under a tree. This connection of science and nature appealed to Jobs. The inscription within the logo read: “Newton … A Mind Forever Voyaging Through Strange Seas of Thought … Alone.” Seriously? It took you longer to read their tag line than it did to boot up your Mac!

However, Steve Jobs hired Rob Janoff to simplify the logo, which turned out to be the best brand development move that Apple could make. Rob created the ‘Rainbow Apple’ which was the logo for company till 1998. There are many rumours as to why Rob had chosen to create such a logo. One of them says that the Apple was a tribute to Newton (discovery of gravity from an Apple), and since the USP for Apple at that time was coloured graphics, it had the rainbow colours.

Janoff, however, said in an interview that though he was mindful of the “byte/bite” pun (Apple’s slogan back then: “Byte into an Apple”), he designed the logo as such to “prevent the apple from looking like a cherry tomato.”

When Apple launched the new iMac in 1998, they changed their logo to a monochromatic apple logo, almost identical to the rainbow logo. Now, the Apple logo comes with nice gradient chrome silver design. Today Apple has one of the most recognised brand symbols in the world and the shape is what identifies the company more than the colour…

To learn more about brands or to find out how to develop or grow your brand, call our team on +61 2 4732 4766 or take a look at our online portfolio at www.whiteriverdesign.com

A trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organisation, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trade mark appears to originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities.

A trade mark is designated by the following symbols:

• ™ (for an unregistered trade mark, that is, a mark used to promote or brand goods – this has no legal protection)
• ® (for a registered trade mark which legally protects your goods and/or services for which the trade mark is registered, for a period of 10 years at a time)

A trade mark is typically a name, word, phrase, logo, symbol, design, image, or a combination of these elements. There is also a range of non-conventional trade marks comprising marks which do not fall into these standard categories, such as those based on colour (such as Tiffany blue or Cadbury purple), smell, or sound.

The owner of a registered trade mark may commence legal proceedings for trade mark infringement to prevent unauthorised use of that trademark. However, registration is not required. The owner of a common law trade mark may also file suit, but an unregistered mark may be protectable only within the geographical area within which it has been used or in geographical areas into which it may be reasonably expected to expand – this is usually trumped by a registered trade mark.

Registering your trade mark can be valuable protection against competitors now and in the future. You should also be aware that infringing on other businesses trademarks or patents can be an extremely expensive exercise.

Trade mark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attached to a trade mark without the authorisation of the trade mark owner or any licensees. Infringement may occur when one party, the “infringer”, uses a trade mark which is identical or confusingly similar to a trade mark owned by another party. An owner of a trade mark may commence legal proceedings against a party which infringes its registration.

Market confusion is not necessarily measured by actual consumer confusion but rather by the below series of criteria that the Courts have established. These are eight specific elements to measure likelihood of confusion:

• Strength of the mark
• Proximity of the goods
• Similarity of the marks
• Evidence of actual confusion
• Marketing channels used
• Type of goods and the degree of care likely to be exercised by the purchaser
• Defendant’s intent in selecting the mark
• Likelihood of expansion of the product lines

If you are needing assistance getting your trade mark registered*, please give us a call on 02 4732 4766.

Alternatively, if you are looking at getting your brand established or redesigned, we would love to work with you as we have had incredible success with many small and medium sized businesses. Take a look at some of the brands that we have developed.

A brand evolution consists of small or subtle changes that occur over time where the target market aren’t necessarily aware of the changes (Kelloggs and Apple). These changes may modernise the brand through a change of colour or simplification yet don’t actually change the logo or core values too drastically. A revolution is far more intense and will be noticed by all. This is where a company changes their entire look and message. Woolworths is a very good example of a brand revolution that has been both well executed and well received.

Whatever your reasoning, the reality is that many of the biggest brand names around the world have undergone a logo evolution. Businesses evolve their brands over time to keep them relevant. For example the Volkswagen logo that originally resembled the swastika was redesigned after WWII. Some do it well (Shell for example), while others fall horribly short (Gap and Pepsi come to mind). Here are 8 tips to help you avoid a logo evolution mishap.

1. Holding onto History.
Rebranding essentially is a way of staying relevant. The ideals and message of the brand when it was initially established may no longer be the case. Analyse the changes in your target markets when exploring brand expansion, repositioning and revitalisation.

2. Thinking the brand is only the logo.
Your corporate brand includes everything from customer perception and experience to quality, look and feel, customer care, selling/retail and web environments, communications via both phone and email, and so much more.

3. Rebranding without a plan.
Effective rebrands rely heavily on a comprehensive creative brief to keep everyone focused. Include sections for a situation analysis, objectives, target markets, budget and resources, time frame, approval structure, stakeholders and metrics for assessing results.

4. Not leveraging existing brand equity and goodwill.
Ignoring the current brand equity when rebranding alienates established customers, while unnecessary overhauls can irreparably damage a brand’s perception. Consider the needs and mindset of the target market carefully before digging into the process. Sometimes a small evolution – or a new coat of paint – is all that’s needed to rejuvenate and make a brand relevant.

5. Not trying on your customer’s shoes.
Simply calling your own number or receptionist may reveal challenges customers face and inform your rebranding strategy. Take the time to navigate your own website, buy your products and return something. Better yet, ask a friend or family member to do so and learn from their experiences.

6. Doing it yourself.
This is too big a job to do yourself. In fact, it has too much riding on it for you to pass it onto your recently graduated graphic design niece. Source a company that has experience in branding. Smart companies recognise the value of a fresh perspective and can offer guidance.

7. Limiting the influence of branding partners.
Good branding consultants are more than graphic designers. The best ones help develop new products, expand demographic focuses and even streamline business operations. Reign them in when needed, but don’t limit their areas of influence.

8. Believing rebranding costs too much.
Good thinking doesn’t have to come with a multi-million dollar payout. You can get good thinking and solid strategy from small and talented branding agencies. Look around your local area, find a studio with a good portfolio that has the creative style that you are comfortable with.

If you are looking to refresh your brand, please give us the opportunity to weave some magic into your brand – we have had some incredible success with many small and medium sized businesses. To see examples of our amazing logo and brand creations please head to our online portfolio.

Here are 10 Reasons why you might want to rebrand your business

1. Business has grown and developed

We see it all too often, a business that it about 2-3 years old is presented to us with the owner wanting to rebrand. Why? Well, when they started they didn’t know if the business was going to be a success. Initially they headed to their closest printer (or worse yet – commissioned their cousin’s, daughters, friend who is good at art) and got themselves a cheap business card which came with free logo design that was ‘created’ by someone without any knowledge or idea of branding. After a few years in business (and despite their substandard image), they have realised that it is time to get serious, and the thought of developing a brand and getting an image that actually fits with the business and how they have grown or developed becomes a priority.

2. Look is out dated

The latest trends and fashions are great to sport from season to season – but what happens when your entire business brand is based on the latest trend at the time of development? This is too costly an exercise to do on a seasonal basis. Trends change and businesses from 10, 5 or even 2 years ago that adopted the ‘in’ look could be feeling the effects of being outdated now. Maybe you designed your logo in-house and used an outdated program or crammed your logo with every emboss and drop shadow your program would allow. Maybe the design at the time was based on fashionable colour combinations or a font such as Papyrus. If your image makes you embarrassed then it probably a good time to look at rebranding.

3. Market has changed

With the growth of a business and the effects of the GFC being felt world wide, may businesses have had to reassess who their target audience is. Where once some businesses could focus on simply one audience, they are now having to look at multiple audiences to achieve financial targets. With these new emerging markets comes a need to look at the companies message and how it will be perceived. A rebrand to make the business relevant to it’s new market might be just what is needed to increase market share.

4. Direction of business has changed or expanded

Over time many businesses may tweak their business models, change or add new services or products to stay competitive and profitable. A great example of a business that changed direction is YouTube. Founded in 2005, YouTube began as a video dating site called “Tune In Hook Up,” similar to HotOrNot.com. As the site failed to perform, the founders scrapped the idea, and instead focused on simply sharing videos online.

5. New Innovation

Innovation and technology have caused major disruption to a number of business models. Blockbuster has literally gone out of business with the introduction of downloadable movies from the web. Some businesses have had to adapt to this new age of technology and rebrand accordingly.

6. Rejuvenate

The greatest brands in the world are always updating and refreshing their look to asset them in staying fresh and relevant. 10 years is often the maximum timeframe for when a company may consider a rebrand. Some companies that have had the same logo for decades could find themselves being swallowed by newer more innovative brands. However if you believe that you have an iconic brand (such as Kelloggs) and you are of the opinion that of “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” then you should possibly consider a ‘brand refresh’. This maintains and celebrates the history and heritage of your brand, but shows your audience (current and future) that you are adaptive to change.

7. Legal issues

There are a number of different legal issues that could cause a company to rebrand. The most obvious is the issue of trademarks. For this reason it is incredibly important to conduct an exhaustive trademark search and obtain the trademark rights to your brand name before you launch it.

8. Merging of a business

When companies merge, there maybe two (or more) audiences that need to be communicated to. This could result in the need to rebrand to make people aware of the merger such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers (although this is certainly not a good example of a well designed logo!)

9. Location has changed

A company may have been started in a particular state or town and adapted the name of the location in it’s business name. Over time small businesses can become big businesses and suddenly their small town name can become a hinderance to the growth of the business. Renaming or rebranding in this situation without the location name could be a very valuable direction for a business to take if they are wanting to grow beyond their roots.

10. Negative Publicity

Rebranding your company due to negative publicity is a hard task but is often better than keeping with the same brand message. Showing your clients that you are evolving and changing from the bad to the good can lead to much better horizons. A shining example of this would be Harley Davidson. In the mid 80′s Harley Davidson was on the verge of bankruptcy. The problem was that their product was substandard and competition was pushing them out of the race. Through some major system changes which included ‘just-in-time’ inventory and the strategy to engage with their loyal customers by creating the “Harley Owners’ Group”, Harley Davidson has managed to build a company where their audience is so connected to the brand that they not only purchase their products but are prepared to tattoo their logo on their biceps!

If you are looking at rebranding your business, the we highly recommend that you talk to a design company that specialise in brand development. The team at white river design not only have extensive experience in building brands but we also use our custom designed Brand Archetype system that allows us to determine brand attributes for the personalty of the business. To contact us please give our creative team a call on 02 4732 4766 or head to our website to check out our portfolio.

The use of the right type face, it’s positioning, spacing and intensity can make a lasting logo, eye catching billboard or unforgettable brochure. Use the wrong type face and an entire design or brand can be destroyed. This might sound a little dramatic to you, but hear me out…

Many people are unaware of how much thought and time a designer puts into choosing the correct type for their client’s designs. Simply using Arial or Times New Roman is quite frankly not in our vocabulary. In saying that there is always a time and a place for both of these mentioned fonts, so we never rule them out – we simply use them when appropriate.

Fonts can immediately evoke a feeling or emotion, often not by what is being said but rather by what is being seen. To put it simply, the use of typography is to enhance the reader’s experience while ensuring that they can read what has been put before them. Good typefaces are designed for a good purpose and make their words believable, but not even the very best types are suited to every situation.

For those not used to this terminology a Serif font is one with ‘hands and feet’ and the Sans Serif font is without. Traditionally designers have used serif fonts in large bodies of text such as books, newspapers, magazines etc, while the sans serif is used for headings and highlights. This does not mean that you can’t mix things up – this is just the traditional application.

A typographer’s mantra should always be to honour content. This is applicable to both print and web. Some of my favourite typefaces look dreadful on screen; and even good typefaces designed especially for the screen, often look at best mediocre on paper.

Choosing type for the web is easier owing to fewer choices; however, that’s beginning to change. We now have sIFR and ‘web fonts’, so it’s all the more important to think carefully about the type we use. Is Times/Times New Roman—narrow set and designed for narrow columns—really appropriate for long-line extended text on screen?

It is essential for a designer to understand the client’s target audience and who will reading the text, so please remember to let your designer know. Lawyers, engineers, mothers, pensioners, children? For example, it’s historically known that 9pt text is not preferable for the over 55′s!

Designers also have to consider where the text will be displayed. The use of typography for a billboard is vastly different to a page layout in a magazine. Sometimes a designer has no control over what else is on the page or the size of margins (such as a newspaper). All these elements can play a very large role in how your type is perceived.

So as you can see, typography really is an art, which also means that the decisions that designers make, including type choice, are subjective. The good news is that you don’t need to be a typographer, you just need to find a designer that is! How can you tell? Look at their work. If it projects the correct message, looks good and is easy to read, then they are more than likely on the right track. Hopefully this little window into the mind and thoughts of a typographer will make you look twice at type around you.

If you don’t know where to start finding the perfect designer with typography skills, then I would highly recommend that you turn to the team at white river design as your first port of call – you won’t be disappointed. Here are some incredible works of typography.

Humans are creatures of habit and will tend to identify with things that they are familiar with. The challenge is to introduce / educate them on the product and brand, instilling in them knowledge about the brand and its attributes that are meaningful to them.  To start this process, we need to identify the primary Brand Archetype. This is the inherent brand personality that people relate to when they look at something to assess if it is attractive to them.

In modern society these 12 Archetypes can be effectively utilised in branding a business and giving them attributes that can enhance or cement their message.These personalities that we select from are based on different motivations for the observer.

Outlaw/RevolutionaryThe Outlaw brand is successful at developing truly radical ideas, products, and services; leading reform of all kinds; and/or serving as the contrarian voice in debates. Revolutionary types need to be careful about coming across as reckless, shaking things up endlessly/needlessly, and becoming stubbornly oppositional.

Attributes: rebellious, shocking, outrageous, disruptive, feared, powerful, Counter-cultural, revolutionary, liberated, radical freedom

Motto: Rules are made to be broken
Core desire: revenge or revolution
Goal: to overturn what isn’t working
Greatest fear: to be powerless or ineffectual
Strategy: disrupt, destroy, or shock
Weakness: crossing over to the dark side, crime
Talent: outrageousness, radical freedom

The Outlaw may strengthen your brand’s identity if it:

• has customers or employees who feel disenfranchised from society
• helps retain values that are threatened by emerging ones, or paves the way for revolutionary new attitudes
• is low to moderately priced
• breaks with industry conventions

The Outlaw is also known as:

• Troubleshooter : Sees problems/drawbacks/defects in current ways of doing things and determines how to improve them
• Radical/rebel : Lives/thinks outside the bounds of conventions and/or takes action or risk without waiting for others to agree/catch up
• Challenger/contrarian : Questions the tried and true; presents opposing points of view
• Populist : Believes in the premise of giving “power to the people”
• Game-changer : Initiates radical innovations that change the rules of the game or the realities of the marketplace

The Jester
The Jester brand excels at brainstorming and thinking outside the box; finding clever ways around obstacles; and having fun while getting work done.

Attributes: clown, jester, trickster, playful, joyous, take things lightly, create a little fun/chaos, impulsive, spontaneous, lives in the moment

Motto: You only live once
Core desire: to live in the moment with full enjoyment
Goal: to have a great time and lighten up the world
Greatest fear: being bored or boring others
Strategy: play, make jokes, be funny
Weakness: frivolity, wasting time
Talent: joy

• The Jester may be a good identity for brands:
• that give people a sense of belonging
• that help people have a good time
• that are low or moderately priced
• that are produced by a fun-loving company
• that need to be differentiated from self-important, overconfident established brands

The Jester is also known as:

• Entertainer : Helps others have fun or a good time
• Wit : Uses ingenuity and resourcefulness; lives by his/her wits
• Wise fool : Sees the absurdity/hypocrisy of life and rises above it
• Holy fool : Emphasises living life in the now in a Zen way
• Jovial truth-teller : Satirizes or parodies current thinking

The Lover
The Lover brand is about evoking emotion and creating relationships. The brand is interested in building real partnerships among employees and clients; seeing the possibilities for greater quality of life; and establishing harmonious ways of working together.

Attributes: seek true love, intimacy, sensuality, passionate, sexy, seductive, erotic, seek pleasure, to indulge, follow emotions

Motto: You’re the only one
Core desire: intimacy and experience
Goal: being in a relationship with the people, work and surroundings they love
Greatest fear: being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unloved
Strategy: to become more and more physically and emotionally attractive
Weakness: outward-directed desire to please others at risk of losing own identity
Talent: passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitment

The Lover may be a good identity for your brand if:

• it helps people belong, find friends or partners
• it’s function is to help people have a good time
• it is low to moderately priced
• it is produced by a freewheeling, fun-loving organisational structure
• it needs to differentiate itself from self-important, overconfident brands

The Lover is also known as:

• Partner/intimate : Forms close bonds; finds ways to make others feel special
• Harmoniser : Ensures that relationships are harmonious and pleasurable
• Connector/matchmaker : Brings together people/groups who are well suited
• for each other
• Aesthete : Appreciates/creates beauty and beautiful environments
• Bon vivant : Lives life with passion and enthusiasm

The Caregiver

The Caregiver brands are most successful at providing consistent, high-quality service or care; creating stable and nurturing environments; and advocating for others at a very high level.

Attributes: altruistic, selfless, nurturing, compassionate, empathetic, supportive, generous

Motto: Love your neighbour as yourself
Core desire: to protect and care for others
Goal: to help others
Greatest fear: selfishness and ingratitude
Strategy: doing things for others
Weakness: martyrdom and being exploited
Talent: compassion, generosity

The Caregiver may be right for your brand identity if

• it gives customers a competitive advantage
• it supports families (products from fast-food to minivans) or is associated with nurturing (e.g. cookies, teaching materials)
• it serves the public sector, e.g. health care, education, aid programs and other care
• giving fields
• helps people stay connected with and care about others
• helps people care for themselves
• is a non-profit or charitable cause

The Caregiver is also known as:

• Supporter/advisor : Lends a helping hand, support, or counsel to others
• Advocate : Stands up to others on behalf of those in need
• Nurturer : Provides comfort, kindness, and compassion to others
• Service provider : Provides consistent, high-quality service or support
• Altruist : Gives selflessly to make a difference for others

The Everyperson
Everyperson brands are successful at establishing a sense of belonging and human dignity to others; creating hard-working teams that take pride in their work; and fostering real camaraderie among employees. They are also seen as the person next door, the realist, good old boy, solid citizen and good neighbour due to their attributes of realism, empathy and lack of pretense.

Attributes: not pretentious, straight shooter, people-oriented, reliable, dependable, practical, down to earth, values routine, predictability, status quo, tradition

Motto: All men and women are created equal
Core Desire: connecting with others
Goal: to belong
Greatest fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd
Strategy: develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, the common touch
Weakness: losing one’s own self in an effort to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships
Talent: realism, empathy, lack of pretense

The Everyperson provides a good identity for brands:

• that give people a sense of belonging
• with an everyday functionality
• with low to moderate prices
• produced by a solid company with a down-home organisational culture
• that need to be differentiated in a positive way from more elitist or higher-priced brands

Everyperson also known as:

• Egalitarian : Believes in the inherent worth and dignity of all
• Realist : Tries to face the facts as they are, not as she or he wishes they were
• Communitarian : Seeks and builds community in all situations
• Comrade/pal : Likes to be one of the gang
• Democrat : Believes in the concept of “all for one and one for all”

The Innocent
The Innocent derives the most pleasure when everything is based on their values and beliefs. Innocent brands are often successful at ignoring and moving through barriers that would stop others, as they naturally have attributes of being idealistic, optimistic and hopeful. They tend to see the positive in any situation, maintaining faith in their ideals and motivate others to also believe that everything will work out in the end.

Attributes: wholesome, pure, forgiving, trusting, honest, happy, optimistic, enjoy simple pleasures

Motto: Free to be you and me
Core desire: to get to paradise
Goal: to be happy
Greatest fear: to be punished for doing something bad or wrong
Strategy: to do things right
Weakness: boring for all their naive innocence
Talent: faith and optimism

The Innocent provides an identity for brands that:

• offer a simple solution to an identifiable problem are associated with goodness, morality, simplicity, nostalgia or childhood
• are low or moderately priced are produced by a company with straightforward values need to be differentiated from brands with poor reputations.

The Innocent is also known as:

• Idealist/utopian : Lives through belief in the perfect world or a set of ideals
• Traditionalist : Remains loyal to and maintains faith in simple values and virtues
• Perseverer : Stays the course and goes “where angels fear to tread”
• Optimist : Believes in the power of positive thinking
• Cheerleader : Encourages and cheers on others

The Ruler
The Ruler brand is most often successful when they can make decisions that benefit others, use power to create positive outcomes, and make order out of chaos.  Ruler types need to be careful about dominating others, getting bogged down in policies and procedures, and becoming overly hierarchical or political.

Attributes: manager, organiser, take charge attitude, efficient, productive, confident, responsible, role model, the boss, leader

Motto: Power isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.
Core desire: control
Goal: create a prosperous, successful family or community
Strategy: exercise power
Greatest fear: chaos, being overthrown
Weakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegate
Talent: responsibility, leadership

The Ruler may be right for your brand identity if:

• it is a high-status product used by powerful people to enhance their power
• it makes people more organised
• it offers a lifetime guarantee
• it empowers people to maintain or enhances their grip on power
• it has a regulatory or protective function
• is moderately to high priced
• you want to differentiate it from more populist brands or one that is a clear leader in the field
• it is a market leader that offers a sense of security and stability in a chaotic world

The Ruler is also known as:

• Leader : Takes charge of people/situations; takes responsibility for the
• good of others
• Powerbroker : Uses power/influence to get things done
• Conductor/orchestrator : Directs complex systems/processes/structures
• and/or creates order
• Role model : Sets standards for others to follow
• Peacemaker : Finds common ground among disparate individuals and/or groups

The Sage
The Sage is the best brand archetype at developing significant expertise; gathering and analysing information so that it’s useful to others; and contributing knowledge to almost any situation.  Sage types need to be wary of ivory tower thinking, dogmatism, and coming across as lacking feeling/empathy.

Attributes: thinker, philosopher, reflective, expert, advisor, teacher, confident, in-control, self-contained, credible, wisdom, intelligence, planner, mentor, professional

Motto: The truth will set you free
Core desire: to find the truth
Goal: to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world
Biggest fear: being duped, misled-or ignorance
Strategy: seeking out information and knowledge; self-reflection and understanding thought processes
Weakness: can study details forever and never act
Talent: wisdom, intelligence

The Sage would be a good identity for brands:

• that provide expertise or information to customers
• that encourage customers to think
• that are based on new scientific findings or esoteric knowledge
• that are supported by research-based facts
• want to differentiate themselves from others whose quality or performance is suspect

The Sage is also known as:

• Expert/guru : Develops own knowledge and expertise to the highest level
• Philosopher/contemplative : Uses deep thinking to seek and create clarity
• Mentor/teacher : Shares wisdom with the world
• Investigator : Researches and gathers information
• Analyst : Thinks things through and synthesises learning

The Magician
The Magician brand serves as catalysts for change; turning problems into opportunities; reframing difficulties; empowering people, teams, and networks; and creating flexible, win/win solutions for all involved in a situation.

Attributes: visionary, inventor, healer, spiritual, holistic, intuitive, value magical moments and special rituals, catalyst for change, charismatic leader, sharmon

Motto: I make things happen.
Core desire: understanding the fundamental laws of the universe
Goal: to make dreams come true
Greatest fear: unintended negative consequences
Strategy: develop a vision and live by it
Weakness: becoming manipulative
Talent: finding win-win solutions

The Magician could be the right identity for your brand if: – the product or service is transformative

• its implicit promise is to transform customers
• it has a new-age quality
• it is consciousness-expanding
• it is user-friendly
• has spiritual connotations
• it is a very new, contemporary product
• it is medium- to high-priced

The Magician is also known as

• Catalyst/change agent : Sees opportunities for change or provides impetus for innovative transformation
• Envisioner : Sees possibilities and develops a clear vision of the future
• Healer : Effects individual or group healing
• Intuitive : Uses synchronicities/hunches/serendipity to set a course
• Wizard: Has a talent for unexpected, serendipitous results

The Hero
Hero brands are very successful at producing consistent results; creating teams and systems that fulfill objectives; and giving their all to achieve a goal. This is mainly due to their core talents of being competent and courageous. The Hero can also be seen as a rescuer and crusader, they can be both the winner and the team player.

Attributes: warrior, competitive, aggressive, winner, principled, idealist, challenge “wrongs,” improve the world, proud, brave, courageous, sacrifice for greater good

Motto: Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Core desire: to prove one’s worth through courageous acts
Goal: expert mastery in a way that improves the world
Greatest fear: weakness, vulnerability, being a “chicken”
Strategy: to be as strong and competent as possible
Weakness: arrogance, always needing another battle to fight
Talent: competence and courage

The Hero could be good for brands:

• that are inventions or innovations that will have a major impact on the world
• that help people be all they can be
• that solve a major social problem or encourage others to do so
• that have a clear opponent you want to beat
• that that are underdogs or challenger brands
• that are strong and help people do tough jobs exceptionally well
• that need to be differentiated from competitors that have problems following through or keeping their promises
• whose customers see themselves as good, upstanding citizens

The Hero also known as:

• Competitor/winner : Energised by overcoming obstacles and competing with others
• Dragon slayer : Energised by besting adversaries
• Crusader/rescuer : Emphasises making a difference for others
• Achiever : Consistently produces results and succeeds through discipline/focus
• Coach : Shapes individual or team performance by bringing out the best in others

The Creator
The Creator brand is one that develops distinctive, original products and services and/or innovating new solutions or expressive means.

Attributes: innovative, imaginative, creative, artistic, experimental, willing to take risks, ambitious, desire to turn ideas into reality, inventor, musician, writer or dreamer

Motto: If you can imagine it, it can be done
Core desire: to create things of enduring value
Goal: to realise a vision
Greatest fear: mediocre vision or execution
Strategy: develop artistic control and skill
Task: to create culture, express own vision
Weakness: perfectionism, bad solutions
Talent: creativity and imagination

The Creator may be right for your brand identity if:

• it promotes self-expression, gives customers choices and options, helps foster innovation or is artistic in design
• it is in a creative field like marketing, public relations, the arts, or technological innovation
• you want to differentiate it from a “do-it-all” brand that leaves little room for the imagination
• your product has a do-it-yourself aspect that saves money
• your customer has the time to be creative
• your organisation has a creative culture

The Creator is also known as:

• Artisan : Gives expression to visions/thoughts/ideas
• Innovator : Generates ideas for new approaches
• Inventor : Devises objects or ideas that perform new functions
• Builder/designer : Makes new forms/objects/processes/structures
• Dreamer : Envisions ideas and sees the world through an imaginative lens

The Explorer
The Explorer brand stays current with trends, encouraging individual initiative, and providing others with the opportunity to learn and grow.

Attributes: searcher/seeker, adventurous, wanderer, restless, independent, self-directed, self-sufficient, value freedom, desires excitement

Motto: Don’t fence me in
Core desire: the freedom to find out who you are through exploring the world
Goal: to experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life
Biggest fear: getting trapped, conformity, and inner emptiness
Strategy: journey, seeking out and experiencing new things, escape from boredom
Weakness: aimless wandering, becoming a misfit
Talent: autonomy, ambition, being true to one’s soul

The explorer is a good identity for brands that:

• helps people feel free, nonconformist or pioneering
• is rugged and sturdy or for use in the great outdoors or in dangerous settings
• can be purchased from a catalog or on the Internet
• helps people express their individuality
• can be purchased for consumption on the go
• want to differentiate themselves from a successful regular guy/gal brand or conformist brand
• have an explorer culture that creates new and exciting products or experiences

The explorer is also known as:

• Trailblazer/pioneer : Sees or scouts for new opportunities/possibilities
• Adventurer : Emphasises adventure and/or new experiences
• Seeker/wanderer : Searches for a unique identity, path, or solution
• Iconoclast : Places great value on being different and/or independent
• Individualist : Maintains personal integrity and authenticity in all endeavors

White River Design has created a Brand Archetypes System which through a series of steps we are able to determine (alongside the business owner) what brand archetype they are. For more information on this service, please call 02 4732 4766 or email your enquiry.

This article will hopefully help explain what we are on about. The abbreviations above, all stand for different colour processes.

CMYK and Printing

CMYK stands for the four colour plates that make up the base from which full colour printing is obtained.  C = Cyan, M = Magenta, Y =  Yellow and K = Black.  The letter B is not used for black as it is already used in the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) abbreviation.

The four-colour printing process uses four printing plates. When the colours are combined on paper (they are actually printed as small dots), the human eye sees the final image. As with your primary colours (that you learnt as a child);

yellow + cyan (blue) = green
cyan + magenta (red) = purple
yellow + magenta (red) = orange and so on.

Different ink coverage from each plate creates an illusion for the eye to perceive millions of different colours, hues and tones.

CMYK and Designing

As graphic designers, we have to deal with the issue of our clients seeing our work on screen in RGB, although our final printed product will be in CMYK. In the print-ready process we need to convert all digital files to CMYK before sending to printers. Due to the difference in screen colours and printed colours, we often use the “Pantone Matching System,” or PMS colours if exact colour matching is important.

The Pantone Matching System (PMS)

The Pantone colours (also known as PMS or spot colours) have an industry standard book of thousands of colour swatches with reference numbers that we can identify them with and give to the printer. Most corporate colours in a logo for example, are identified with a number from this system. These are premixed inks that match these numbers. This is similar to picking paint at the hardware store to paint your walls: You refer to swatches, choose by number and then the colour is pre-mixed before application.

Pantone swatches provide us with a printed example of what a colour will look like on paper and give us a CMYK equivalent to work from (especially when having to print a full colour project such as a brochure or catalogue). Even though the on-screen colour won’t exactly match the swatch, we know what our final colour will look like. If colour is an important aspect of your brand you can always request a “proof” which is an example of your printed work provided before the entire job is run. The Pantone system creates the most accurate colour match and the sharpest details. This type of printing is not used as much anymore as full colour process (CMYK) has become more affordable with the advance in technology.

RGB – Screen Colours

RGB is the colour model for computer monitors, video, etc (made up of red, green and blue) and is what you will view your projects in while still on screen. Without going into the science, it is critical to understand that PMS and CMYK are for printed pieces and RGB is for computer applications such as web sites and will almost always view differently.

Web Safe colours are a sub-set of 216 RGB colours that most accurately display on monitors with a very limited spectrum of colours. These days, most computer monitors have better video cards and higher resolution and can view more than this limited palette. However there are still some web-based design code that prefers these colours.

Finally, it’s important to note that while these are called “safe”, that does NOT mean a colour will look the same from one monitor to the next. Variability with screen brightness, lighting conditions, and hue & contrast settings will render the exact same colour differently from one computer monitor to the next. It is also very important to note that colours that are viewed on a monitor will look very different on a printed page. This is why it is essential to ensure that you are aware of what type of files you are supplying to your designer and what colour format they are in.

I have three rocks at home. If you were to inspect them I’m sure, you’d conclude they’re almost identical; same size, weight and colour, and therefore worth much the same as each other. But that conclusion would be drawn before I’d told you their stories.

At 10:30 p.m. on November 9, 1989, following lifting travel restrictions for East Germans, the Berlin Wall, which had divided East and West Berlin since 1961, was opened at the Bornholmer Strasse border crossing. In the ensuing hours and days, other border crossing points were opened and the Berlin Wall was dismantled peacefully over the weekend of the 11th and 12th of November. At that historic juncture, one of my friends who was on the spot amongst the international crowd, managed to get hold of a piece of the wall, one of the very first pieces to be dislodged from the structure. So what do you think of that piece of rock’s value now? Would you pay more for it than you might initially have thought?

But I told you there are three rocks, so the story doesn’t stop here. The second was supposedly discovered in July 1969, by a man named Neil. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon. He was in a unique position to gather a couple of rocks as a neat souvenir for mankind. Apparently, one of my three rocks is one of those collected by Commander Armstrong. What would you be prepared to pay for this, were it for sale?

The third rock is from my backyard. But no matter how good a salesman I may be, I’m sure I couldn’t persuade you to purchase this specimen. It’s simply too ordinary. Yet it looks almost identical to the two other stones which have such colourful provenances.

Which of my three rocks would you choose? I’d be willing to bet the lunar stone would be your first choice, not because it’s more beautiful, or because of any precious minerals it contains, but simply because of its history. The story invests significance in the rock that might persuade you to part with thousands of dollars for it.

And there you have the secret of branding. The rocks’ stories made a difference to your perception of these objects. Their histories create an emotional bond between you and the product. No fancy logo needed, no top-dollar graphics. A simple story is all it takes to inflate the value of the objects.

That’s exactly what you should have in mind when you build brands. Yes, the graphics are important. So are other factors such as distribution, product design and, of course, quality of the product. But don’t forget the little story that can infuse your product with charisma and bond customers with the product emotionally and intellectually.

Open your mind to your brand’s stories, don’t discard them. Reveal them, strengthen them, and allow them to define your brand’s identity. Share the stories on your website and encourage your customers to share their stories about your product. Dig deeper, do some research, and uncover the special heritage of your brand or business.

Branding is all about creating an emotional grid around the product. The more sophisticated the grid of values, the more compatibly they match the core values of your brand, the better your brand is armed against competitors.

Just think about those rocks. Reveal your brand’s stories and see if they represent the hidden point of difference for your brand.

By Martin Lindstrom, The ClickZ

This has made me reflect on a number of areas of my life – not just my business, and I recalled a very poignant story from a trip I made to South Africa in 2007 for one of my sister’s weddings where I learnt a very valuable lesson in positive thinking. Kathy (my sister) has very kindly allowed me to share this with you, as it touched so many of us when she read it aloud to all of the guests at her wedding.

Before meeting her new husband, Kathy hadn’t met Mr Right, and was starting to lose hope that she ever would.

She took my dad’s advice of ‘Ask and you shall receive…’ and wrote a letter, asking for a very special person. Here is what she wrote on an October evening back in 2004:

“Hi there Jesus
You know what this is all about, but something in me needs to ‘write’ it down to make it somehow more official. This is the type of man I am hoping to share my life with, I wonder if you can track down the prototype for me.
Someone who…

• laughs often and easily with himself and the world
• is blessed with intelligence and humility
• he is kind and strong
• a gentleman, an honourable man
• he just happens to be tall, weigh more than me, have big strong hands and eyes that crinkle when he smiles
• he has a secret smile just for me
• he is faithful and never quits – even when the going gets tough
• he is committed to having a family, to exploring your spectacular world, revelling in and accepting people from all cultures, creeds and walks of life
• he has that lovely dent in his back and very hairy legs
• he enjoys nature, picnics, waterfalls, reading, tennis and ideally plays the guitar and sings in an amazingly sexy voice
• he is driven, and involved where he feels he is making a difference
• he respects my opinions, my career, my family and my friends
• he is affectionate and passionate and values fidelity
• he knows what he wants and is willing to fight for it
• he loves big dogs, thunder storms and holding hands
• he is well travelled, or at least has an interest in doing so

Damn, am I demanding or what?! But I have faith in your creative abilities – you must have tried these ingredients together at some time; now we just have to hope that no one else has snatched him up first! Ideally I would like this man to not have been married before and not have had any children yet. I say this, not to be picky but I really would like it if I was the only woman he ever said his wedding vows to, and I would really like to see his face the day we have his very first daughter or son.

This is quite a list! I really hope I haven’t screened out every male on the planet! I am, of course, open to negotiation on many of the items – but I can’t tell you how impressed I would be if you could tick all the boxes on this one!

Thanks again for all your help, and good luck!”

Kathy wrote this letter 10 days before she met Stuart Alexander Knott who she married on 22 September 2007! This is a true story of how the thinking in a positive manner and writing it down to make it the idea concrete can turn into reality.

I love this story! It always reminds me to focus on thinking positively about our goals!

In our office we also believe in thinking positively. We have our ‘Big Book of Ideas’ where each member of the team is encouraged to write down things that they would like to see achieved in the business – no matter how big or small.

So far this year a handful of our ‘Big Ideas’ have come to fruition which I’m happy to share with you.

• I wanted to sell my other business this year – Done!
• One of our team wanted us to increase our design library – Done!
• We have created ‘Fashion Free Friday’ where our team can wear what they want to work on a Friday (as long as it’s not trackies or thongs!) – Done!
• Sweet Tuesday where a different team member brings in morning tea for everyone – Done!
• Attendance at the 2012 Semi Permanent Creative Conference – Done

Naturally all of our goals are written down and displayed along with our company values which not only keeps us focused but means that our goals have more of a chance of becoming a reality. Sometimes it’s the simple ideas that can bring about positive thinking and positive change.

With that in mind, what are your positive thoughts for the rest of 2012?

Your brand story is based on your ‘WHY’. This is a concept that will change the way people see and experience your business. It needs to be a story that is inspiring and captivates the listener. It needs to honest and real, giving meaning and weight to a brand that comes from the heart. To a large degree, writing a good brand story is about drawing from the lessons we’ve always known. Remember the fairytales we used to love as children? There was always a moral to the story at the end of them. The moral of a story is the core idea or truth that the story expresses. Your brand story works in a similar way; it defines and expresses the core values about who you are as an enterprise.

It’s a story that not only your clients need to believe in, but one that your employees believe, trust and can honestly back up through their behaviours and actions. Your systems and processes will reveal the story and your customers will believe the story because you live it.

Too often we experience brands that are good at spruiking a story; what they think they believe in and stand for, only to find that the story is backed by processes that don’t work, unhappy employees and empty promises. This is extremely dangerous for a brand as it damages the brand at every customer touch-point. It creates mistrust and clients will choose to walk away.

Genuine brands live and breathe their story. It can be seen in their core values. Clients can trust their story because they can experience it first hand through every area of dealing with the business. The story is embedded in their business behaviour, the way the team work together, how they communicate amongst each other as well as with the client and the consistency in the delivery of the promises they make.

So, how do you craft a story that can drive key customer decisions and staff engagement in a believable and engaging way and know that you have it right? You’ll know that you have the right story when it consistently guides your client and staff behaviours and actions, and engages them to want to be a part of your brand.

The key points of a strong brand story are Clarity, Consistency and Character.

Clarity

Firstly, make sure you know what your core values are. Take time to structure what you want to say and how you want to say it. This is the mainframe of your brand story; who you are, what you do, who you do it for, why it matters to them, and how it’s different from anyone else in the marketplace.

Consistency

To ensure that the message comes across effectively, you need to make sure you say it (and show it) in the same way ALL the time. By being consistent in all of your communications and actions your message will start to come together, creating a brand presence for you in the marketplace.

Character

The final step, which is the fun bit, is for you to give it your own spin and add character and personality to the brand. This is what brings your story to life at an emotional level. It’s what makes people want to connect with you and turns their necessity into desire. It’s what makes people want an iPhone over a regular mobile phone, it’s what make people buy Nike sneakers over other sneakers. They buy into the story as it resonates with them.

Essentially, it is your brand story that helps you answer the most basic of all questions: “Why?” Why did you decide to buy a certain service or product over someone else’s? Why is it that you full fill their needs better than anyone else? Why does your logo look this way? Why do your press releases, brochure and website read the way they do? And most importantly, why would someone make the critical decision to use your products or services over your competitors?

This can be a very powerful tool for a business. So don your creative hat, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and start crafting your brand story. When it’s done, let us know as we’d love to hear them! Click here to read the white river design brand story.